South Korea's Lee open to trilateral meet with Ishiba and Trump at G7
Any talks would be the first trilateral meeting for all three leaders since taking office, and would symbolize a commitment to continuing a trend of building closer security ties under their predecessors.
'President Lee has repeatedly said that the foundation of our diplomacy and security is the solid South Korea-U.S. alliance and the South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperative relationship,' the Yonhap news agency quoted a Presidential Office official as saying.
Lee was due to depart on Monday for the G7 summit for an expanded session, as well as bilateral talks that could include a one-on-one meeting with Ishiba, who was set to leave for Canada later Sunday.
The summit, which runs through Tuesday, will be the first G7 meeting for both Ishiba and Lee, who took office June 4 after winning South Korea's presidential election following the ouster of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, over his short-lived martial law declaration in December.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington in February. |
REUTERS
Lee, who had been known for a seemingly hard-line stance toward Japan, told Ishiba over the phone last week that his government would continue Yoon's policy of strengthening bilateral and trilateral cooperation with Japan amid concerns in Tokyo that he might reverse agreements reached under his ousted predecessor that led to a thaw in ties.
Ishiba and Lee — who are both grappling with onerous unilateral U.S. tariffs that could upend their economies — are also expected to hold bilateral talks with Trump.
Japan's top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, spoke with his U.S. counterparts on Friday and Saturday in talks that explored the possibility of a trade deal — one that Tokyo hopes to seal at the G7, though it's unclear if negotiations are far enough along. Akazawa has said he may join Ishiba in Canada.
The U.S. has slapped a 25% tariff on imported cars and auto parts and a 50% levy on steel and aluminum. A 10% across-the-board duty on other goods from Japan will rise to 24% on July 9 if a deal is not made.
South Korea, meanwhile, is also facing similar tariffs, as well as security-related issues. Trump has demanded it to pay more for the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed there.
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